Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/847,926

COOLING DEVICE

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Sep 17, 2024
Priority
Mar 22, 2022 — JP 2022-045924 +1 more
Examiner
SMITH, COURTNEY L
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
1087 granted / 1272 resolved
+25.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
1299
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
41.6%
+1.6% vs TC avg
§102
33.1%
-6.9% vs TC avg
§112
23.0%
-17.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1272 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “an introduction port configured to supply the refrigerant to each of the flow path sections is formed in a central portion of the bottom plate in the second direction” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. The drawings are objected to because: 1) Fig.’s 1-7 does not depict introduction port-17 in a central portion of bottom plate-12 in a second direction; and further a bottom plate-12-Fig.’s 2-7 is not visible based on the orientation of the image and thus it appears an introduction port-17(asserted as disposed in the bottom plate) shall not be presented as bolded lines; and 2) Fig.’s 2-7 does not depict a length of the introduction port in the second direction d2 but rather depicts a width in the second direction. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 8-11, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claim(s) 8, 9, 10, and 11; “a central portion” respectively asserted in each claim at line(s) 14-15, 15-16, 17-18 and 17-18 is unclear whereas line(s) 10 of each claim already asserts “a central portion”, and thus it cannot be readily ascertained if the same or a different central portion is intended. Further, in re: claim(s) 8, 9, 10, and 11“a length of the introduction port” as respectively asserted in line(s) 16, 14, 15, and 17 is unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if the applciant intends to denote a size or distance of a width in the second direction d2 or an actual length since Fig.’s 2-7 depicts a length of 17 in a first direction d1 which is relatively longer than the extension of 17 as shown in the second direction d2. Regarding Claims 8-11; each claim asserts “wherein the flow path is provided independently for each of the semiconductor components to have a plurality of flow path sections which extend in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, an introduction port configured to supply the refrigerant to each of the flow path sections is formed in a central portion of the bottom plate in the second direction”, which is deemed as unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if a same/one flow path and the same/one introduction port is fluidly connected to each of the plurality of flow path sections OR if otherwise intended to denote respective introduction ports fluidly couples to different flow paths to supply refrigerant to each of the plurality of flow path sections OR alternatively if respective introduction ports fluidly couples to different flow paths to supply refrigerant to each of the plurality of flow path sections without fluid connectivity between each of the flow path sections. The office hereby notes that the claim is hereby deemed as amenable to more than one plausible claim construction; and does not clearly denote where the refrigerant is introduced, if and how the refrigerant couples via one or more introduction port(s), if each section is fluidly coupled or isolated and/or if and how the refrigerant is simply introduced and remains filled within each passage, recirculated and/or discharged from an unclaimed outlet, the same introduction port or additional ports etc. so as to define a wholly operable cooling device. As such, it is hereby deemed that the varying structural and functional omissions cannot be readily rejected as best understood and/or otherwise determined as allowable etc, as presented. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20230200022 A1 PENG; CHENG-SHU et al Fig. 1 US 8335081 B2 Weiss; Bruce W Fig.’s 5,12-13, and 17 US 8081465 B2 Nishiura; Akira Fig.’s 2(A)-2(B) Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-9094. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5p. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 17, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+12.0%)
2y 4m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1272 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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